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Crown And Cushion Pubs Perry Barr

Think that's what's making me doubt the name Lyn - disbelief that the pubs would have similar names and only yards apart. Viv.
 
i thought that viv...1972 kellys calls it the "new crown and cushion" be interesting to go back on kellys to find out when it became a pub..forgot to say earlier that i have fond memories of this pub if only because when leaving it in 1998 i picked up a very chunky mans gold and diamond ring worth quite a bit...came in very handy as i was a bit short at the time....mind you thats nothing new lol

lyn
 
Guys, I think you may well be correct about that first photo being Wellington Road....I did say my memory is very vague. I do remember Toy's Chemist - in fact, I was going to ask what was on the corner of Birchfield Rd and Wellington Rd before the 'new'(?) C&C was built, but you've answered it for me.
I definitely remember having an eye-test at Brooks Opticians, and I do remember, slightly more vaguely, walking past the opticians and the car-lot with my Mom as we made our way to the station.
However, thinking about it, I would guess that Mom, who was a very, very cautious person, may well have crossed Birchfield Rd on the library side of the crossroads with Wellington Rd, then walked down Wellington Rd a short distance to where it was easier to cross. This was all nearly 65 years ago, don't forget. What I would say, though, is that the small pub on Birchfield Rd opposite today's C&C (for want of a better description) was definitely called The C&C at one time - my dad used it on Saturday lunch-times in the 1970's and I sometimes went to collect him and have a quick 'un myself. There again, memory does tend to play tricks with one....

Great thread, though. I love seeing old pics of 'my' area when I was a nipper - a good old working-class neighbourhood that was ripped apart.

G
 
yes G as proved by kellys the smaller one was indeed called the new crown and cushion..hang onto those memories as you would not want to see the state of the area now..lovely to read your memories as well..keep up the good work:)

lyn
 
I think I have my Crown & Cushion Pubs sorted out now. I can't seem to find a decent pic of the pub on the east side of the road but have found two ..
The first pic seems to be an early one with a sign hanging outside. The crucial word I am looking for on the sign is blurred but with lots of digital editing (not shown) it looks like the word is 'New'
earlycc.jpg

The second pic is the pub after it's front was upgraded and again with some digital editing I can see the word 'New'.
cc.jpg
 
hi phil...there was no doubt that the little one was called the new crown and cushion but i am just pleased that you have found 2 pics showing the name which i can clearly see says "new" this is great phil as it clears up any confusion that may arise in the future as i have said before the title little crown was most likey given as a nick name so that people knew which one you were talking about..ie..."will meet you in the little crown at 8" mind you if you went in the wrong one it was not far to walk to the other one over the road lol ...ta phil

lyn
 
That's great Phil thanks. It would be interesting to know the reason why the 'new' C&C (on Barclays Bank side) was opened (eg as a stop gap, for increasing demand, brewery competition?). What date was it opened? Viv.
 
thanks pedro so according to that newspaper snippet the new crown and cushion had been there since 1865 the 1939 snippet is clearly talking about the larger crown and cushion over the road

lyn
 
Farther away from Home, and in 1834 at Lambeth, there is a mention of a New Crown and Cushion. I wonder if they were having the same trouble!
 
For information , from map c 1889. The oldest mention of the New Crown & Cushion I can find is on 28th Feb 1849 in Aris's Birmingham Gazette, where it is described as "newly built"
 

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crikey mike 1849? those buildings are older than thought then....thanks for the map..nice to have both the old and new crown and cushions showing..

lyn
 
For information , from map c 1889. The oldest mention of the New Crown & Cushion I can find is on 28th Feb 1849 in Aris's Birmingham Gazette, where it is described as "newly built"

It looks like the Old Crown and Cushion had some nice grounds at the rear!
 
So in summary the timeline based on the info we have so far for the 4 C&Cs is

Old C&C existed in 1824 (but possibly earlier 1817) - demolished 1950s
New C&C existed 1849 - building still exists, although no longer a pub
C&C (large) built 1938 - demolished 1980s
C&C replacement of the 1938 building built 1980s, closed as a pub in 2015

Viv.
 
There was a Crown & cushion, presumably the original, in 1824.
 

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Crown and Cushion.jpg

Hi Folks, yet another image of our old friend (sorry it's lurking to the left) but this one has particular significance - it's dated August 1939, days before Chamberlain's declaration that Britain (and France) is now at war with Germany.

My memory of the C & C is that it had a fantastic nightspot at the rear, a luxurious assembly room sumptuously furnished - one of my favourite Saturday night destinations during the mid to late 60s; and sometimes a lunchtime venue (Great Ploughman's) when I was studying at the University of Central England (an educational establishment that has had a number of titles over the years) a short walk distant.

Regards,
Peg
 
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View attachment 113939

Hi Folks, yet another image of our old friend (sorry it's lurking to the left) but this one has particular significance - it's dated August 1939, days before Chamberlain's declaration that Britain (and France) is now at war with Germany.

My memory of the C & C is that it had a fantastic nightspot at the rear, a luxurious assembly room sumptuously furnished - one of my favourite Saturday night destinations during the mid to late 60s; and sometimes a lunchtime venue (Great Ploughman's) when I was studying at the University of Central England (an educational establishment that has had a number of titles over the years) a short walk distant.

Regards,
Peg
Interesting that although it is Perry Barr, the bus is Midland Red in the original colours of Red with yellow bands and a silver roof, looks like an EHA or FHA, my Mother and Father have referred to going to dances at the Crown & Cushion before the war, was that possible, they certainly attended functions there both before and after the war and spoke highly of it.
Bob
 
I imagine that could be true Onceabrummie, one of my aunts used to work in the office at the Crown and Cushion just before the war and they had both the function rooms then (one on the ground floor and one upstairs).
 
I have a photo taken approx 1962 for a works dance at The Crown and on the back I have written Labour Day. Any ideas anyone?
 
I have a photo taken approx 1962 for a works dance at The Crown and on the back I have written Labour Day. Any ideas anyone?
Hi Carolina, Don't know if it helps: UK Labour Day is 1st May (Bank Holiday: 1st Monday in May) and USA Labor Day: 1st Monday in September. So my guess 1 May c1962 (unless it was an American Company's Works dance).
Peg.
 
yes peg a great pub in its heyday plenty of music great sounds and partys my aunti worked there in the early fortys
and up to about 1948 may be a little later
when she worked there my aunt only had one child of age he became she desperatly wanted to have another child
but sadly her health would not permitt it
but by coincidence at that time for aunty there was another young lady whom started to work there whom got herself
pregnant and she was heart broken and she could not afford to keep it ,and around this period of time my aunty
was desperate so she asked my mother co,s my mother alread had three kids before me
could she Addopt me saddly mom said no , i said sadly because my old man was not a really good bloke and with no money
but dads sister my aunty met a rich bloke and she was posh from the theasy estates had a nice home we was poor in the slums
but any way my aunty addopted that young ladies baby and now that little fella is my addopted cousin
i have to say he no wiser if was never disclosed to his other brother all died
i did not live to far from the pub myself we lived down the road great memories of the area and i recalll the uni you menioniond
i beleive it was perry common school prior to the change of the uni my first wifeattended that school
she lived up ridge acre wyryley way pub best wishes Astonian,,,
 
I imagine that could be true Onceabrummie, one of my aunts used to work in the office at the Crown and Cushion just before the war and they had both the function rooms then (one on the ground floor and one upstairs).
l remember in the 50's spending many a Saturday night dancing at the C&C ,,always had a good time and have many happy memories to look back on, but ending up getting married to some one with two left feet.....Brenda
 
l remember in the 50's spending many a Saturday night dancing at the C&C ,,always had a good time and have many happy memories to look back on, but ending up getting married to some one with two left feet.....Brenda
Brenda, even guys with two left feet have feelings! Me? - two left feet and a Popeye Swagger, thank God for my charm and razor-sharp wit - otherwise I might still be alone building Airfix model planes night after night after night.
Peg.
 
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Brenda, even guys with two left feet have feelings! Me? - two left feet and a Popeye Swagger, thank God for my charm and razor-sharp wit - otherwise I might still be alone building Airfix model planes night after night after night.
Peg.
Peg, you and my husband must have come out the same pod..he still can'nt dance but like you all his spare time have been taken up at first with model planes...we nearly had a divorce on our honey moon over model planes.. then it was radio control and then he graduated to the real mccoy..l've been fighting planes all the 60yrs of marriage,,,hope l hav'nt gone of topic to much ....Brenda
 
Peg, you and my husband must have come out the same pod..he still can'nt dance but like you all his spare time have been taken up at first with model planes...we nearly had a divorce on our honey moon over model planes.. then it was radio control and then he graduated to the real mccoy..l've been fighting planes all the 60yrs of marriage,,,hope l hav'nt gone of topic to much ....Brenda
Brenda, I lost interest in model planes when I first got interested in girls, you may or may not want to check out the threads:
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/heaton-st-hockley.47417/ #16
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/harry-lucas-school.39524/page-12 #231
Peg.
PS Is it not possible to be interested in planes and girls?
 
hello alan just been reading your post 114... for the sake of clarity as far as i know prior to the university of central england being built at perry barr the school that was there before that was birchfield boys school so i dont think your first wife attended that one:D...where abouts near the crown and cushion did you live alan?..also i dont know of the ridge acre i think you may mean the ridgeway..

all the best

lyn
 
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Alan and Lyn,

prior to its being The University Of Central England it was North Birmingham Polytechnic, but in smaller premises than today. Quite correct, Lyn, the school that was on the site was Birchfield Boys Secondary Modern, which IIRC was demolished about the time the underpass/flyover was built - early 1960's would that be? The only other school that I know of near the C&C was and is Canterbury Cross, which is behind what used to be The Odeon. That was a primary school and senior girls school, so Alan's first wife could perhaps have attended that.

Peg,

for years and years I managed to combine my interests in model planes, ladies, and the products of local Midlands breweries with no trouble at all. You just have to be organised, that's all! I also had about three left feet, but that never bothered me. These days, my interests are even larger model planes, the products of continental vineyards, music, and my dear wife of 46 years who takes up more of my valuable time than the other three combined, yet doesn't always seem to appreciate it.....

I used the 'large' C&C in the 1960's and saw many good bands there, including (amazingly) John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton. Mr Mayall strictly forbade anyone to dance during his gig, which resulted in about half the audience walking out!

G
 
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